Overview

Picture yourself living in a green land, where you're surrounded by natural beauty, seemingly everyone enjoys outdoor activities in the fresh air, and all the city amenities you need are close at hand. Where might an idyllic place like this exist? Washington. Called the Evergreen State, which fits its gorgeous, year-round-green scenery as well as its reputation as a great place to live, Washington has lots of apartments and lots of great reasons to move there.

What to Expect

A robust economy is one of Washington's strengths. It's no surprise that the state is a leading lumber producer; with the landscape's abundant supply of Douglas fir, hemlock, white pine, cedar and other tree varieties providing the country with the building blocks of homes, furniture and other products. Washington is also a leading producer of apples, pears, raspberries and other crops. Livestock and commercial fishing are also important components of the economy. More recent industries, including high-tech, computer and aircraft manufacturing, have given Washington greater income and importance.

From rainforests to apple orchards, Mount St. Helens to the Space Needle, there's plenty to see and do here. Shopping and culture abound in the cities, while outdoor recreation is the popular pastime outside the metro areas. Residents here seem to do just about every outdoor sport and hobby there is, including camping, hiking, fishing, golfing rafting, boating, scuba diving, skiing...the list goes on and on.

The overall cost of living in Washington is about 3% above the national average, with housing costs—including apartments for rent—at about 2% above average.

Where to Explore

Seattle Apartments
One of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, the Greater Seattle region is home to 3.6 million people and counting, as more people become aware of all this great city has to offer its residents. A major source of the growth is the increase of high-tech industries, including aerospace, software, computers, biotechnology and telecommunications. Major employers include Boeing, Amazon.com, Costco, Nordstrom, Starbucks Coffee and Alaska Airlines. But enough about work. You'll enjoy Seattle year-round with its mild climate (rarely going below 40 or above 75), as long as you don't mind the rain (there's about 37 inches of it every year, and plenty of cloudy skies to go along with it). When you need to duck indoors, you'll appreciate the city's emphasis on culture, with numerous museums, galleries, theaters, music venues and pro sports to choose from. The overall cost of living in Seattle is about 8% above the national average, so it should come as no surprise that apartments don.t come cheap here. The median price for apartment rentals is $730, with the average price for apartments at $860.

Spokane Apartments

This "All-American City" is the second largest in the state and one of the nicest places in the country to live, according to many publications (not to mention the locals). Mild weather and a multitude of outdoor activities keep Spokane residents out of their apartments, where they enjoy the many golf courses, local farms, wineries, parks and the beautiful Spokane River. Spokane enjoys a lower cost of living than Seattle, making this a great city to explore houses for sale or apartments for rent. Average house price is $125,000, while the median price for apartment rentals is $530 per month.

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